Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that the Pro Bowl center's surgically repaired hip could cause Pouncey to miss four months instead of the previously presumed three-month recovery coming out of his June procedure.

"Eight weeks is probably what we're looking at," a source told Salguero when asked how many regular season tilts Pouncey might miss.

With the Dolphins ticketed for a bye in Week 5, such a timetable would force Pouncey out of the lineup for seven games to start the year.

Set to open camp on the physically unable to perform list, Miami's top lineman is also a candidate to open to the season on the regular-season PUP. Pulling that trigger would leave Pouncey eligible to return for the Dolphins' Week 7 showdown with the Bears.

When we talked with Dolphins offensive coordinator Bill Lazor earlier this summer, he predicted Miami's rebuilt O-line would be one of the top success stories for a team looking to make strides in the AFC East this season. That's going to be a mighty challenge with Pouncey watching from afar.